links for 2009-02-04

Federal agencies don't have a reputation for being hip when it comes to Internet outreach, but more government leaders are starting to see the upside of using social media to deliver their messages and connect with taxpayers.

"Of course it does run the gamut and there are pockets of resistance [to sharing information online], but we ignore that stereotype," says Bev Godwin, director of USA.gov and Web best practices at the General Services Administration's Federal Citizen Information Center. "And that's why we like to point out where things are being done around government, because it shows people overcame the barriers."

Everyday I receive an email from somebody about how their account was hacked, how a friend tagged them in the photo and they want a way to avoid it, as well as a number of other complications related to their privacy on Facebook. Over the weekend one individual contacted me to let me know that he would be removing me as a friend from Facebook because he was “going to make a shift with my Facebook use – going to just mostly family stuff.”

Camtasia Studio users would like to share their screencasts on YouTube. I've heard from a lot of people asking questions about getting the optimal settings and the best way to get your Camtasia Studio recordings with the HD option in YouTube. Our training manager, Matt Pierce, recently made some short videos sharing his tips and tricks that I thought everyone would like to see.

The first screencast is about recording for the HD YouTube option. This ~2:00 minute video will show you how to set-up your Camtasia Studio recordings to ensure you get the HD option on YouTube.